Race starting gate



Nov. 7, 1961 J. C. PURCELL RACE STARTING GATE Filed June 16, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENToR.' Jbhn Cf Puree/ Nov. 7, 1961 .1. c. PURCELL 3,007,442

RACE STARTING GATE Filed June 16, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 BYV Nov. 7, 1961 J. c. PuRcELl. 3,007,442

RACE STARTING GATE Filed June 16, 1960 3 Sheets-Shea?l 3 FM. fr

INVENTOR. Jo/m C. Parce/ JITT A/E Y6.

United States Patent 3,007,442 RACE STARTING GATE John C. Purcell, 2834 Pelham Road N., St. Petersburg 10, Fla. Filed June 16, 1960, Ser. No. 36,597

1S Claims. (Cl. 119-15.5)

This invention is concerned with a retractable keeper or bolt, in combination with a releasable preferably electrically operated latching element, the said keeper and latching element each being mounted on the respective doors forming the closing means for the stall of a horse starting gate for starting animals at race tracks. Preferably each starting gate is provided with a plurality of stalls, and located between each stall is a pair of pivoted doors which are movable from a position where the doors are closed to a position where they are open. In the open position, each pair of doors is substantially parallel to the stalls, while in closed position they may be arranged in substantially the same plane but transverse to the stalls, or one door of each pair may be so mounted as to form a V with the other door, which latter door mounting is the preferred arrangement, as shownin FIG- URES l and 2 of the drawings and as described herein'- after.

One of the principal objects of theinvention is to provide a' dependable but fast Vopening lockingV means for each pair of doors of a race starting gate.

A further object is to reduce to a minimum the friction between the moving parts of a at race starting gate.

An additional object is to reduce thecost of construction and maintenance during use of the latching `means located on the pairs of doors of an electrical race starting gate.

Yet another object is to provide pairs'of doors' for closing one end of each of a plurality of stalls of a starting gate, one of the doors of each 'pair having an electrically operated release member for engaging a pivoted bolt on the other door of that pair, whereby the said bolt may readily move to inoperative position where it cannot be struck to thereby injure the animal which is leaving the gate at the start of a race. Preferably all of the electrically operated release members located on one doo-r of each pair are electrically connected so as to be operated simultaneously.

Other objects will appear hereinafter throughout the specification.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a front elevated view, partly broken away, of a starting gate having pairs of doors provided with the devices of the present invention;

3,007,442 Fateiited Nov. 7, 1961 or other enclosure for starting dogs or other animals. Such starting gates, however, are most usually used for starting horses, purely mechanical means being used as the releasing means for starting dogs at dog tracks. VStarting gates of the type herein described employ electrical means, usually including an electrically released latch member on each door of each pair of doors which engages a catch or bolt on the other door of that pair of doors; the electrically released latch members are each connected for actuation to a magnet for each door of each pair, the magnets being connected in circuit whereby upon the actuation of a switch, all of the magnets are simultaneously operated to release all of the pairs of doors at the same time. As shown by the prior art, the magnets may be connected to the latch members to either release all of them by opening the switch to break the circuit or by closing the switch to complete the circuit. I prefer to release all Yof the latch members by opening the switch, but it will be understood that as the prior art teaches both types of operating means, the present invention includes latch-operating means that may operate the latches to open the pairs of gates upon closing of the circuit. Neither the electrical circuit, the starters switch or the circuit connections have been illustrated, but they may be the same or similar to those shown in the Puett Reissue Patent No. 22,203, granted October 13, 1942, or in the Harris and Whaun Patent No. 2,309,952, granted February 2, 1943, or in other patented disclosures in this art.

Referring now to the drawings, the letter A designates the gate as a whole. The gate is provided with the usual 'FIGURE 2 is an enlarged isometric view of a pair of doors in closed position and showing the latching means thereon;

FIGURE 3 shows the pivoted bolt and a portion of one of the doors of a pair of doors upon which the pivoted bolt is mounted in its closed position;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the bolt in its open position;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged longitudinal section view, partly in section and partly broken away, of the bolt shown in FIGURES 3 and 4;

FIGURE 6 is a detail in vertical section showing the bolt of FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 and its mounting;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 of a moditied form of the invention; and

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 of the modication shown in FIGURE 7. t

Starting gates of the type herein illustrated are used principally for starting race horses at a at race, but may be used for starting dogs, it being understood that reference herein to `a starting gate includes a dog box steering means, not shown,- for one or both of the .pairs of ground-supporting wheels 10 that are located at the ,opposite ends of the gate. 'Ihe superstructure shown at 12 supports the spaced partitions 14. The forward ends of the'partitions serve as supports for the pairs of doors `16 which are pivotally mounted at 18 on the partitions 14, all as shown in FIGURE l. For purposes of illustration only, the two pairs of doors shown atthe left are in-closed position, and a pair `of doors at the tight arein open position in FIGURE 1. When `all of the animals are in proper position for starting a race, all of the pairs Vof doors are closed, individual pairs being usually manually closed as each animal reaches its proper position in the stall into which it has been led. The race is then started by the starter actuating the starting switch, not shown, whereupon all of the pairs of gates are simultaneously opened to release the animals, hereinafter referred to as horses. This occurs due to the fact that each door is biased to its open position by elastic means, as shown in the Harris et al. patent, or by la spring, not shown, as indicated in the prior art.

As shown in FIGURE 2, one door of each pair is provided with magnetic means that is used to release4 its latching member or keeper, which permits the spring or elastic means to open its door. In the present construction, the left door of each pair is provided with a mounting plate 20 to which is secured a magnetic holding means 22. This includes, preferably, a pair of magnets 24. Both the plate 20 and magnetic holding means 22 are rigidly mounted by bolts, rivets, or by welding to the left door.

Pivotally mounted on plate 20 by pivot 26 is the latching element 28 whose left end is held by magnetic attraction when the coils are energized by a source of electrical potential, such -as a battery 72, or city current, when the flat upper part thereof is pushed into contact with the coils 24. These hold the latching element in the full line position of FIGURE 2. The side of the latching element on the left of pivot 26 is heavier than the side on the right of said pivot. Consequently when the current to each pair of coils on each left door is turned olf, the magnets become de-energized and permit the latching element 28 to move in a counterclockwise direction due to its greater weight on the left side of the pivot, from the full line position to the dotted line position of FIGURE 2.

To the right of the pivot is located the lug 30 which engages the bolt on the right door shown in FIGURES l and 2, now to be described. The right door has a mounting plate 32 having a stop member 34 thereon. The plate 32 also mounts stud 36 that supports the pivoted bolt or keeper 38.

This pivoted bolt or keeper 38 is biased to move in a clockwise direction, as shown by arrows 40, until it engages the stop member 34. The bolt is rotated by a spring 42, of which one end 44 engages an aperture 46 in plate 32. The other end 48 of spring 42 engages a slot 50 of housing 52. The housing surrounds the post 36 and is rotatable thereon. This housing has been welded to and supports swinging bolt 38 and is held on the post 36 by the headed bolt 80, all as noted in FIG- URE 6. The bolt 38 has a longer end 54 which is provided with a reduced diametered portion 56 having a plurality of circular grooves 58, and mounted on the reduced portion are circular antifriction rollers 60. Each roller has an inner groove 62 opposite a groove 58, each pair of opposite 'grooves providing a raceway for antifriction balls 64. The rollers are held on the end 54 of the bolt by a washer 66 held in position by a screw 68. The spring 42 may be omitted.

The magnetic holding means of each left door, for instance, of each pair of doors, is connected by electrical wiring 70 to a source of electrical potential, such as battery 72 shown in FIGURE 1.

When it is desired to start the race, all of the pairs of doors are arranged in the position shown lat the right of FIGURE l. The starters switch, which may be mounted on the gate itself, as shown, or mounted adjacent thereto, is operated to close the circuit 70 whereby to connect battery 72, or other source of electrical potential, to the several sets of magnets 24. The magnets are all then simultaneously energized. Following this circuit closing, the horses are led into the individual stalls by the assistant starters. Alternately, the circuit may be turned on during or after the horses are in the stalls. When a horse is in proper position in a stall, the assistant starter closes the pair of gates 16 of that stall and swings bolt 38 ina counterclockwise direction, from the position shown in FIGURE 4 to that of FIGURE 3. He then moves the latching element 28 Vin a clockwise direction, from the dotted line -to the full line position of FIGURE 2, wherein the latch elements lug 30 engages over the antifriction rollers 60 of the bolt 38 to prevent spring 42 from returning bolt 38 to its inoperative positiornviz. that shown in FIGURE 4. The upper flat metallic surface of the left end, i.e. the heavier end, of latching member 28 becomes an armature, in the full line position of FIGURE 2, and holds the latching element 28 `and the pair of gates of that stall in closed position, as

shown at the left of FIGURE 1 and in FIGURE 2. In such position, the lug 30 on the opposite side of pivot 28 engages the antifriction rollers 60 to hold the bolt 38 in the position shown in FIGURE 2.

Should a horse in this stall or any of the other stalls, the doors of which have been closed, prematurely attempt to push forwardly through the gate, its forward push will be suflicient to cause the latching element 28 to break away from the coils 24 to which it has been held by magnetic attraction, whereupon it moves to the dotted-line position of FIGUREZ. This movement immediately releases bo1t38 which swings on its pivot 36 from the position of FIGURE 3 to that of FIGURE4. The immediate release of bolt 38 by latching element 28 is assisted materially by the antifriction rollers 60. 'Ihese prevent binding of the lug and bolt to each other due to pressures often exerted against the doors in a plurality of directions by a plunging horse. Usually such pressure is suicient to break the armature of latching element 28 loose from its attraction by the energized coils 24 of the magnetic holding means 22.

It will be observed, however, that until the doors 16 are closed, the bolt 38 does not extend beyond the protection of the vertical metal pipe or bar 74 on the leftmost side of the right gate. Only after the bolt 38 is manually swung down from its FIGURE 4 to its FIG- URE 3 position, after a pair of gates have been rotated to their closed position, does the bolt extend beyond the vertical metal pipe or bar 74 of its door. The bolt is manually rotated to its FIGURE 3 position by an assistant starter when the horse is standing quietly in its proper position within its stall of the starting gate.

It is to be expressly understood that the term anti- ,friction means in the claims is intended to include any one of the following: antifriction rollers or antifriction balls.

It will be understood that the bolt 38 may have its spring 42 omitted inasmuch as the shorter end may be loaded b'y lead or other biasing means, or even such weighted biasing means may be omitted, as this bolt is released by the de-energization of the magnetically held latch member 28 alone. When this moves to the dotted line position the door 16 is quickly moved to open position by its spring the said spring being convenient in this art.

Now referring to FIGURES 7 and 8, it will be understood that the latching means now to be described is mounted preferably in the same relation as, and to take the place of the structure shown in FIGURES 3 to 5, the other parts of the gate to be as shown generally in FIGURE 1.

In this construction the parts having the a after each numeral correspond to the parts indicated by the corresponding numerals in FIGURES 3 and 4.

The bolt 54a is mounted on a pivot 94 anchored in plate 32a. This bolt is rigidly mounted on cap 92 having a reduced segment V100` comprising a semi-circular cut-out portion defined by shoulders 96 and 98. This segment accommodates the stop pin forming a stop for the rotation of the bolt in either direction.

The cap may house a spring similar to that shown at 42 of FIGURE 6, or the spring may be entirely omitted.

In the claims the magnetic means does not include the armature which is actually a part of the latch means of element 28 with its lug 30.

-It will be noted `from the Iforegoing that the end of the bolt which extends from the right door across of and toward the left door when each pair of doors is in closed position, swings out of the opening defined by the adjacent door side edges 74, to its inoperative or non-protruding position when the doors are released. In this position no portion of the bolt 54 of FIGURE 4, or bolt 54a of FIGURE 8, can be engaged by ananimal, both during the time the doors are opening and after they reach their open position. Injury to the animal is thus prevented.

The above description and drawings disclose several ernbodiments of the invention, and specic language has been employed in describing the several figures. lt will, nevertheless, be understood that no limitations of the scope of the invention are thereby contemplated, and that various alterations and modifications may be made such as would occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

I claim:

1. In a race starting gate having a plurality of stall openings, a pair of oppositely pivoted doors having swinging side edges, for at least one of said openings and adapted to close said one opening when in closed position but permit said side edges to swing away from each other to provide a release opening for an animal in said one stall opening, latching means for holding said doors in closed position comprising a pivoted dsengaging bolt on one of said doors, said bolt having an end portion projecting beyond the swinging side edge thereof when in extended position and biasing means for rotating said bolt within said last-named side edge when said bolt is released, a pivoted latching element having a lug means, on the other of said doors, said lug means being in engagement with the projecting portion of said pivoted bolt when said doors are in latched position, electrical means including a magnetic means on said other door adapted to hold said lug in engagement with said pivoted bolt following the closing of said pair of doors whereby to hold said doors in closed position, said electrical means further including means for actuating said magnetic means to release said pivoted doors from each other whereby to cause said biasing means to rotate said bolt on its door to non-protruding position When released by said lug on said other door and means for opening said doors upon when released by said latching means.

2. In a race starting gate having a plurality of stall openings, a pair of oppositely pivoted doors having swinging side edges, for at least one of said openings and adapted to close said one opening when in closed position but permit said side edges to swing away from each other to provide a release opening for an animal in said one stall opening, latching means for holding said doors in closed position comprising a pivoted disengaging bolt on one of said doors, said bolt having an end portion projecting beyond the swinging side edge thereof when in extended position and biasing means for rotating said bolt within said last-named side edge when said bolt is released, a pivoted latching element having a lug means on the other of said doors, said lug means being in engagement with the projecting portion of said pivoted bolt when said doors are in latched position, electrical means including a magnetic means on said other door adapted to hold said lug in engagement With said pivoted bolt following the closing of said pair of doors whereby to hold said doors in closed position, said electrical means -further including means for de-energizing said magnetic means to release said pivoted doors from each other whereby to cause said biasing means to rotate said bolt on its door to non-protruding position when released by said lug on said other door and means for opening said doors upon when released by said latching means.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said latch means includes a pivoted armature adapted to be held by said magnetic means when energized.

4. The structure of claim 2 wherein said latch means includes a pifvoted armature adapted to be held in latching position by said magnetic means when energized.

5. In a race starting `gate having a plurality of stall openings, a pair of oppositely pivoted doors having swinging side edges for eachy of said stall openings, each pair of doors to close one end of its stall opening when said doors are in closed position with their swinging side edges in juxtaposition but permit said side edges to swing away yfrom each other to provide a release opening for an animal in said one stall opening, latching means for holding each pair of doors in closed position comprising a pivoted disengaging bolt on one of said doors of each pair, said bolt having an end portion projecting beyond its swinging side edge when said bolt is in extended position and biasing means for rotating said bolt within said lastnamed side edge when said bolt is released, said latching means further including a pivoted latching element on the other door of each pair having a ylug means, said lug means being in engagement with the bolt when its projected portion is projected beyond the side edge of said one door when each pair of doors are in latched position, means including a magnetic means on said other door of each pair adapted to hold said lug in engagement with the projecting portion of said pivoted bolt of the other door of each pair following the closing of each pair of doors, an electrical circuit and a source of electrical potential connected to the several magnetic means on one door of each pair, and means for breaking said circuit to simultaneously deenergizing all of said magnetic means whereby to release each lug from its pivoted bolt, biased means for rotating each lug and its pivoted bolt to its inoperative positions with said bolt in its unprojected position and means on engaging each door for moving the same to open position when the several magnetic means has released the doors whereby to cause all of said pairs of doors to open at the same time.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein each pivoted retractable bolt is provided with a pivot for mounting the same on its door, and said biasing means for said bolt comprises a spring having ends, one of said ends being anchored to the door which supports said bolt and its other end being connected to said bolt.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein the projecting portion of said pivoted bolt on one of said doors of each pair is provided with rollers for engagement Iby said lug of the other door of said pair when in closed position.

8. The structure of claim 7 wherein said bolt and said lug upon release from each other rotate in opposite clockwise directions.

9. The structure of claim l wherein said pivoted latching element is provided with a disk, said disk having a segmental portion of reduced diameter and a stop pin mounted on said door within said segmental portion.

101. The structure of claim 9 wherein said segmental portion is provided with at least one shoulder adapted to be engaged by said stop pin means when said bolt is rotated in at least one direction.

11. The structure of claim 1 wherein said pivoted bolt is provided with a semi-circular cut-out portion and a stop pin riding in said cut-out portion, said cut-out portion forming a stop for limiting the rotation of said pivoted bolt.

l2. A race horse starting gate having a plurality of stall openings, a pair of oppositely pivoted doors having swinging side edges for at least one of said openings and adapted to close said one opening when in closed position but permit said side edges to swing away from each other to provide a release opening for an animal in said one stall opening, a bolt having pivot means mounted on one of the doors of said pair of pivoted doors and extending outwardly therefrom in the closed position of said doors, spring means on said last-named door biasing said bolt on said pivot to a disengaged position where it is within the side edge of its door, said bolt pivot means permitting pivoted movement of said bolt against the action of said spring means to a position where it extends beyond the side edge of its door and towards the other door of said pair of doors, electrical means including magnetic means on said other door of said pair, a latching element on said other door controllable by said magnetic means and adapted to releasably engage said bolt when the same is moved on its pivot means to the said position where it extends beyond the side edge of its door and means for operating said magnetic means to release said bolt vfrom said latching means.

13. The structure of claim 12 wherein said bolt has a free end portion, and anti-friction means comprising roller means on said bolt adapted to =be engaged by said latching means when said bolt extends toward said other door of said pair.

14. The structure of claim l2 wherein said spring means comprises a coil spring.

15. The structure of claim 14 wherein said coil spring is mounted in a position encircling said bolt pivot means.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,418,807 Whann et al Apr. 8, 1947 2,7 87,245 Purcell Apr. 2., 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 422,155 Italy lune 1l, 1947 

